[Dream] The Unavoidable Doom

[Elmoch]

20th day of Spring, 511AV. The cave. The last place Elmoch wanted to find himself in. But there he was. It was cold. He was naked. He had to get out of there. Immediately a dread feeling rose through his spine just for being there, making him feel ill and nauseous. Luckily there was a stream light amidst all of the darkness, there was an exit, and it did not seem to be very far. All he had to do would be to get there. He started running, his bare feet stomping against the rough rocky floor, making his feet suffer the pain of his hurry. But it didn't matter, he had to get out as fast as he could, because he knew that something bad would happen if he didn't do it in time. And he kept running, but even going as fast as he could, the exit could not be reached, he was not getting any closer. Still, he kept his pace, he could not afford to stop running. He had to reach the exit, before the worst happened, and he somehow knew it would happen. He kept on running and running, and his body, for some reason, began changing as he did. His mind seemed calmer, his thoughts clearer. He could not see his own face, but he knew that he was now younger, his beard had disappeared, and suddenly he was rather well-clothed. It was himself, back in time, before the pain consumed his mind. But he kept running, now wearing leather boots. His steps weren't as fast, but at least the pain in his feet was gone, and he was getting closer. He knew that he would make it in time. The horrible feeling started to fade, giving place for one of hope, such great hope that he had never felt before. He was almost there. He was getting closer. But there was someone on the path, someone waiting for him. It was a woman. He knew that silhouette, the dark hair, the pale skin. It could only be Anya, his long lost love. Her back was facing him, and he wanted to get closer to see her face. "Anya!" he called, and she now turned to his direction. He jumped at her direction and gave her a very strong hug. "Anya! Where have you been!? I've missed you so much!" he exclaimed with tears on his eyes! "How could you be alive!?" She looked at him with fear on her gaze and opened her mouth only to let a loud, distorted voice out. "We have to get out! Quickly!" her voice suddenly was much louder than expected, abruptly breaking the silence of the cave. He was confused, because she did not correspond to his hug. But he dragged her by the arm and continued to run to the exit, so that they both could avoid that which was to come. "You can't escape." The demonic voice came as thunder, and the dread feeling was now back. A shadowy man was on his path, born out of the nothing. Elmoch could see no face, for the blinding light came only from behind this man, his body being completely darkened. He was armored, he was wearing a hood, and something about him seemed much more powerful than Elmoch himself. He unsheathed a sword, and started walking forward, getting closer to Elmoch and Anya. Elmoch looked at Anya. She started screaming and hitting his chest madly. "Why!?" she asked amidst her screams, and it made no sense for him. When he looked back to the frightening figure, he was already just a couple meters away, even if it should have taken much longer to get there at his pace. Elmoch raised his hand, his palm facing the mysterious man. He was going to use Reimancy, to call the flames to burst his foe. Nothing happened. Anya was now suddenly in the man's grasp, one of his hands wrapped around her neck and slowly asphyxiating her. Elmoch attempted to move, but it was all in vain, for his muscles were now too weakened and unresponsive. The man stretched his other arm back, the one holding the sword, and quickly moved it forward in a thrust, piercing Anya's slim body. Her blood bathed the walls of the cavern. She was dead for sure, and Elmoch was flooded by a stream of terrible emotions. Elmoch despised this man, he was much like the bandits who had murdered Anya in the past. The man now pointed his sword at Elmoch, and he could now be more clearly seen, but the hood still covered his face. "I will do the same to you, in due time," he said in a rough tone. Elmoch was now able to talk again. "Why!? Who are you!?" questioned Elmoch with a considerable struggle to move his lips and let the words slip. The man started laughing madly as he pushed back his hood, revealing his face.